I think it's still accurate to note that most people (emphasis on the most, not to be confused with all) start out with car ownership buying an "affordable" used car relative to their place in time. So it is quite natural for today's young folks to buy a used car, typically used "family" cars of their era. When I was a newly licensed driver I and my contemporaries were buying early to mid '50's cars. These were cars that were new when we were 5 to 10 years old. Sure, a few bought even older cars, but they were the exception. We then modified these cars as far as our budgets would allow to make them into whatever we thought was cool. To me, kids today are following a very similar pattern.
Yesssss, Once again I am weird, when I was 16 my first car was a 1963.5 Galaxie 500 NASCAR 427, Now I'm 24 and building a 68 Galaxie 500, (Dont think I'm only a Ford guy I have also built a 66 Nova, I built a cornet (For a friend) I rodded a maveric once just to say I did, 3 old VW Bugs with big ass tires then taken them in the mud and rolled them over for fun; "dude there round I bet I can land back on my wheels!!") I have built a lot of cars in 24 years (13 to be exact, 14 including the one I'm working on right now.) And none of them have been imports unless there sole purpose was to distroy it after I spent as little money as possible on the car. I do how ever have respect for some imports, not because there fast or I think the cars look good, Cause they dont sorry, but because the guy or gal who owns it loves it just like I love my camaro and galaxie my wife thinks I'm sick my camaro is named Samantha, and my galaxie Sara, some import guys feel the same way about that hunk of metal which at times can be the biggest pain in the butt, and most of the time is your way of excaping after a 20 hour day turning wrenches for uncle Sam. Just my 1/2 a penney

Otto